The Long Journey
by GEM8
Summary: Fic Exchange written for Live Journal--Mary Fan wanted a story about Laura and Bill in the Cabin, on Earth, where the celebrate their first christmas--and so here is that story. The song is Josh Groban's Thankful for his Christmas Album Noel.


Title: The Long Journey 

**Author: GEM**

**Date: 12-27-07**

**Category: Drama **

**Rated: T**

**Author's Note: This is maryfans secret santa. I hope you enjoy it. The Song **_Thankful is from Josh Gorban's Noel. _Thank you to my beta Vangoghadmirer

**The weather was frigid, a new covering of snow glistened on the ground beneath her feet. Laura pulled her coat closer around as she made her way up the front walk. She pulled the front door open quickly and stepped inside. She stood firmly on the mat trying to get the feeling back into her extremities.**

"**Oh, it's cold out there." Laura exclaimed as she began to remove her winter coat. Bill came up behind her and pulled her coat the rest of the way off her shoulders. He put his warm arms around her waist and kissed her neck when he was done.**

"**I told you not go out. I would have."**

"**It's okay, I have you here to keep me warm now." Bill pulled her closer and held her tighter. "I'm not going anywhere, it's Christmas Eve and I intend to stay right here with you."**

**Laura turned around in his arms to face him. "I couldn't think of a better way to spend our first Christmas here on Earth."**

"**I couldn't either." **

**When the fleet arrived on Earth ten months ago, Laura and Bill decided to fulfill a dream. They moved up into the mountains and built Laura's cabin, in the wilderness by a lake. It was the perfect spot. **

**They settled into the Earth tradition of Christmas without much of a hitch. Bill and Laura put up lights and traditional Christmas decorations outside the cabin. They spent days decorating the interior with a little help from Lee and Dee. They did some Christmas baking and enjoyed the overall Christmas spirit. **

**The Christmas tree was put in front of the picture window and decorated with multi-colored lights, bulbs and silver and gold beads. **

**Laura and Bill were enjoying their secluded cabin in the woods. It was serene and exactly what Laura had hoped it would be. She was at peace here and very happy to have Bill by her side.**

**Once she had gotten some feeling back in her feet she and Bill made their way into the living room. Laura sat down on the couch in there. Bill had started a fire in the fireplace. In the living room, Christmas music was playing sweetly in the background, a mess of wrapping paper and packages was strung all over the floor. **

"**I see you've been busy." Laura smiled up and gave Bill a kiss as he draped a blanket over her and tucked in the sides. **

"**I didn't get much of a chance to wrap my things yet. When you went out it was the perfect time."**

"**I can't wait to open them." Bill sat down on the couch next to her and drew her closer to him. Laura's health had been surprising well since they had reached Earth but they knew their time was limited. She had been experiencing some symptoms for a few weeks now and the treatments were not as effective as they had been previously. **

"**How do you feel?"**

"**I'm fine Bill. I wish you would stop fussing. It's Christmas, a happy time. Don't ruin it."**

"**I wasn't planning on it. Do you want some tea?"**

" **Not right now, I just want to sit here with you and enjoy the atmosphere. The tree is so beautiful and the lights outside it's exactly as I imagined when we first learned about this holiday."**

**Bill looked around the room. "Do you remember when you first showed me the spot for your cabin on New Caprica?"**

**Laura looked up at Bill with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I will never forget."**

**Bill laughed. "I bet you won't. We finally did it Laura. After all the excuses we made. We're together. You build your cabin and I'm with you here on Earth. We've defied the odds."**

"**Yes we have. What time is it?"**

"**Almost midnight."**

"**Almost Christmas." Laura smiled. "I never thought I'd see this."**

"**You are strong woman Laura, you once told me you have to have faith. Your faith is what got all of us here."**

"**We all have so much to be thankful for. We are all here and safe. We've all been given a chance at a new life." Laura stood up and walked over to the window. "It's snowing again."**

**Bill came up behind her. "So it is. Why did you walk away?"**

"**I didn't mean to. It's just that this." Laura looked around, "is all so emotional for me. We are here on Earth. I'm alive and you're here with me."**

"**Yes, I am and I wouldn't change it for the world. We've traveled a very long and bumpy road you and I, and it wasn't always easy but look at what we have and where we are." Bill snaked his arms around her waist and watched her reflection in the window.**

"**We have some much to be thankful for. I never thought I would see this. I never thought that we would see eye to eye but here we are and here you are."**

"**I already told you I'm not going anywhere. We've ignored our feelings for far too long. When you came back from New Caprica I told you we had responsibilities and I walked away from you. It was the stupidest thing I ever did and the most painful."**

**Laura turned around in his arms and looked into his eyes with tears in her own. She fell against his chest and into his embrace. "I wanted to stop you then but I didn't."**

"**Don't cry Laura. We are together now." The radio was on and the DJ announced it was Christmas. Then a song filled the room.**

Somedays we forget  
To look around us  
Somedays we can't see  
The joy that surrounds us  
So caught up inside ourselves  
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for  
What we know can be.  
And on this day we hope for  
What we still can't see.  
It's up to us to be the change  
And even though we all can still do more  
There's so much to be thankful for.

"**Listen to that." Bill tilted Laura's chin up. "Just listen."**

There's so much sorrow  
Look beyond ourselves

It's way too late to say  
I'll cry tomorrow  
Each of us must find our truth  
It's so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for  
What we know can be  
And every day we hope for  
What we still can't see  
It's up to us to be the change  
And even though we all can still do more  
There's so much to be thankful for.

"**It's beautiful and he's right. There is so much to be thankful for." They listened to the song as they went over and sat by the tree.**

_Even with our differences  
There is a place we're all connected  
Each of us can find each other's light_

So for tonight we pray for  
What we know can be  
And on this day we hope for  
What we still can't see  
It's up to us to be the change  
And even though this world needs so much more  
  
_There's so much to be thankful for_**  
**

**They held each other close and listened to the song when it was over Bill stood up and went over to the Christmas Tree. He picked up a small box and returned to the couch.**

"**Merry Christmas, Laura." Bill handed her the box and gave her a kiss.**

"**I thought we said we were going to wait for everyone to come later."**

"**It's Christmas and I want you to open this one with me."**

"**Okay." Laura ripped the paper off the small box and opened it. Inside the box was a beautiful gold necklace with five connected teardrop diamonds. "Oh, Bill it's beautiful. Laura pulled it out of the box and held it up. It's really beautiful you spoil me."**

"**I enjoy every minute of it too. Here let me help you with that." Bill took the necklace from her and fastened it around her neck. "It looks stunning on you. They call it a journey necklace. It's meant for couples that have been together for some time. Each diamond represents a step in their relationship. We haven't quite completed them all but we've been on such a long journey together you've earned it and I couldn't let you go without it. Merry Christmas Laura."**

"**Merry Christmas Bill."**


End file.
